Posted on 04/01/2010 2:42:08 AM PDT by Scanian
Meanwhile, west of the Hudson, rookie New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has a better idea. As usual.
With a $10.7 billion state budget gap, Christie needs to slash $800 million in school aid -- which could mean severe teacher layoffs across the Garden State.
But the governor has advanced a plan meant not only to avert, or at least mitigate, layoffs -- but also to deliver a little extra cash to school districts.
He wants New Jersey's teachers to forgo temporarily a scheduled 4 percent pay hike this year -- saving as much as $500 million and sharply reducing pressure for layoffs.
If they do, the state would save some $38 million in wage-related, state-funded federal payroll taxes and associated costs -- money Christie says he'll pass along to localities.
A district that saves $1 million in wage costs by freezing salaries, he says, would get back $75,000 in state aid.
That may not seem like much -- but, notes Christie, "Maybe that helps to fund another teacher position or two, or a sports program they might otherwise have to cut." (snip)
So what does the New Jersey Education Association -- the state's teachers union -- think?
No surprise: thumbs down.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
“No surprise: thumbs down.”
Guess it’s time to lay off a bunch of ‘em.
Those teacher’s Unions are a disgrace, they will never make concessions so they should be bi-passed altogether in some cases. Not many Americans are getting raises right now in the private sector, why should the public sector be any different? Especially when the cost of living has gone down for many Americans since 2008, there is no reason to give people raises, and that includes Social Security.
As an investor struggling in the Obama Depression, 7.5% looks pretty good to me.
Why do teachers hate their students?
Teachers would rather lose their jobs than forgo a temporary 4 percent pay hike.
Stupid is as stupid does, and they are teaching our children.
I live in NJ and i can tell you this guy has MASSIVE support for what he is trying to do despite what you may read in the liberal publications.
Same sort of thing happened here. The local hospital asked the staff to take a pay cut or there would be layoffs. The union said no, so there are layoffs.
Interesting. What type of hospital staff and what unions?
jogs=jobs...sorry
Nurses. Have no idea which union they belong to.
I'm surprised at that because for the first time that I can ever remember, nurses in my area are having a hard time finding work. It has always been an iron-clad, 100% employment profession in the past.
The only thing I can think is that all the unions must feel emboldened by the pro-union poseur in the White House.
Nurses these days can make a very good living including enough to support a family with just their wages alone.
Can you tell where this took place? Is this in the Geisinger system?
Is this in the Geisinger system?
Not that I know of. I believe it was years ago.
The NP idea is a good one. Systems like ours use NPs to improve access but mostly to reduce cost.
Since everyone will be looking to reduce costs under Obamascare, there will be an increasing need for NPs and PAs if I read the tea leaves correctly.
bkmk
30 percent of them are making 100k a year! I've never had family at Temple, but have at the other two large PHilly hospitals, Jefferson and U Penn, and I assume they're pretty much the same. The critical care is typically good. But on a general med/surg floor, the nursing care is hit or miss, mostly miss. Blood draws, vitals, baths, etc are all done by other workers while the nurses sit around the nursing station gabbing about other patients, weddings, boyfriends, decorating plans, you name it.
It's hard to understand how supposed professionals can reconcile their positions with union mentality. Harder yet to understand 6 figure employees striking.
You may be "old and tired" but I must just be a 56 year old dinosaur.
I have heard that Temple University Hospital is located in a really bad section of Philly.
So do I, and I agree, even in my KofC local watering hole, filled with mostly liberal Dem's, Christie has big time support.
So glad to hear that Christie has broad support. Moved from NJ four years ago—one of the reasons was that the out of control spending was going to bankrupt the State. The other was that property taxes were out of sight and going higher.
Peopel don’t know what a beautiful state NJ is. But the corrupt pols have made it impossible to live and thrive there.
It is a miracle the economy of the State has not imploded already.
By your tag, I see your from Bergen County..how’d you do with all the flooding...Here in Middlesex County it was bad.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.